


Suspended Animation

by Actually_Crowley



Category: Watch Dogs (Video Games)
Genre: Established Relationship, Extreme Body Modification, M/M, Mild Blood, Relationship Problems
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-20
Updated: 2017-10-29
Packaged: 2019-01-20 03:56:19
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 15,194
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12424533
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Actually_Crowley/pseuds/Actually_Crowley
Summary: When Marcus discovers that Wrench has been keeping an extreme and dangerous hobby from him, the two hackers struggle to find a compromise and deal with rough seas for the first time in their relationship.  Keeping it together will take Wrench establishing his boundaries, and Marcus learning to see things from a new angle.





	1. Hanging By a Thread

**Author's Note:**

> This is a two(edit: *COUGH*three*COUGH*)-chapter fic idea I have been noodling with for a few weeks. I may be temporarily slowing my update schedule for 'In the Machine', but I'm going to keep trying to get you guys at least one chapter a week.
> 
> Thanks again for your support!

Marcus was six months into dating Wrench when he finally noticed it.

 

Wrench tended to disappear to various places as frequently as the sun rose and fell, which wasn’t odd by any means, and Marcus felt he was like a cat in that way.  He had lots of different hiding places he would go whenever he felt like it, and Marcus never stopped him.  Most of the time, he knew where Wrench would be.  He had a series of different roofs he would camp out on, he’d go to his garage, and sometimes he’d hang around Naomi’s shop to keep her company.

 

Usually, Marcus could track him down.  He never hunted him out of jealousy, or concern, but it wasn’t as if he’d been asked not to follow.  Wrench never seemed to mind when Marcus strolled in, his mask betraying his happiness the second he saw him.  Marcus’ heart lit on fire every time he saw that elation, but he did Naomi the favour of not trying to fuck Wrench into a booth when he showed up.

 

That isn’t to say they hadn’t taken it to the shop’s bathroom before, but Naomi wasn’t in charge of cleaning the men’s room anyway, so she didn’t care.  If Marcus was remembering correctly, it had been her suggestion when the desperation got obvious, and Marcus’ hand had found its way into the back of Wrench’s shredded jeans.

 

But sometimes, rarely, Marcus couldn’t find Wrench.  This also didn’t bother Marcus because, like with a cat, sometimes you just couldn’t find every hiding spot.

 

What was strange is that it wasn’t randomly that Marcus would lose track of him.  Wrench disappeared without a trace every third Friday night of every month.  As much as Marcus was trying not to be nosey, he couldn’t help but be curious about where his boyfriend was going.

 

He tried to cross-reference the Fridays with clubs they frequented for any events that Wrench would be interested in attending, but nothing panned out.  Anywhere that did have events around that time never recalled seeing Wrench there on the nights in question.

 

When he realised that there was a pattern to Wrench’s disappearances, Marcus let himself have one night of worry that Wrench could be seeing someone else.  It was only for a night, as he woke the next day with his gaze on Wrench’s sleeping face so close to his own that he knew that absolutely was not what was happening.

 

If anything, the day immediately following his excursions was filled with more love from Wrench than he was used to receiving.  He supposed that this was why he hadn’t noticed that something was weird until now.  Wrench would return that night, or in the wee hours of the morning and tangle their limbs together like he wanted them to become one.  He’d writhe slowly against Marcus until he was finally convinced that he couldn’t get any closer, and only then, after minutes of kissing his sleepy, soft mouth, would he let sleep take him.

 

Wrench returned from wherever the heck he was seemingly even more in love with Marcus than ever.  If Marcus was awake enough, Wrench wouldn’t stop at kissing; His hips would gain an eager motion and rock against Marcus’ own until they were both hard.  These nights, he’d let Marcus stay lying on the bed and would ride him until his legs were twitching from the ecstasy and the effort.  He would duck down after they were both spent and hot and would whisper tiny declarations of love into his ear until they caught their breath.

 

It had occurred to Marcus that, though Wrench had said it before, he’d never heard Wrench say that he loved him so freely except on these nights.  It made Marcus wonder where on Earth Wrench was going that he was so open with him afterwards.  Was he going to some therapist?  The thought made Marcus laugh.  For one thing, Wrench would never.  For another, the hours he was missing were way too late for any standard therapist, and there would be a record of his visit somewhere (and there wasn’t; Marcus had checked).

 

Marcus didn’t want to be this curious.  Wrench was incredibly open about the things that he did, and Marcus was just as open in return— So Wrench having a secret upset him.  But he was also a very logical human being, and he didn’t have to know absolutely everything about Wrench to be in this relationship with him.  He knew plenty.

 

He knew that Wrench liked rooftops because they reminded him of a time when he wanted to jump and how he had pulled himself out of those feelings and kept on anyway.  He knew that most of Wrench’s tattoos were unprofessionally done because the pain of getting scratchers would let him know better what it felt like to be touched by someone who actually cared about him.  Wrench had told him that on a night when he’d felt vulnerable, and Marcus’ fingers were tracing the lines of his ink.

 

Marcus had asked Wrench if he ever felt the need to hurt himself.  Wrench, instead of answering outright, promised him that if he was ever so upset that he found himself there again, he would go to Marcus first.  Wrench would tell Marcus if something was wrong.

 

So why did this systematic absence bother him so much?

 

~

 

As the third Friday of March arrived, Marcus stuck close to Wrench.  They flirted through the morning in bed, and then Wrench begrudgingly got up to start coffee.  Marcus had followed once the smell of coffee drifted through the apartment.  Usually, these Friday’s, Wrench would just disappear without explanation, but they had never made any plans.  Marcus wondered if maybe the only reason he didn’t know where Wrench was going was because he never asked.

 

He watched Wrench’s Adams apple bob as he took a few swallows of his water.  Marcus realised that he rarely saw Wrench hydrate like this.  If Wrench was in mid-hangover, Marcus could understand, but Wrench was fine. In fact, Wrench hadn’t had a drink for a few days, which Marcus only noticed because he was subconsciously looking for clues.  He racked his brain to try and remember if this was common, and sure enough, he couldn’t recall Wrench ever drinking alcohol the days before he left.  But what could that mean?  It seemed more and more like Wrench was preparing for something that needed his body to be clear of toxins.  Was he going to some doctor?  Was something wrong with him?  If that was true, then why wouldn’t he just tell Marcus what was going on?

 

About three months into their relationship, they’d gotten their own place.  As much fun as it was fucking in the garage or on the couch at HQ during the rare moments they were alone, they really wanted to have control over their time and space.  So seeing Wrench, maskless, hovering over the kitchen sink and staring out at the city through the window made Marcus smile despite his concern.  It was so domestic in a way that he’d never thought Wrench could be, and all he wanted to do was curl around him and never let go.  Marcus watched him from the door frame of the kitchen, unable to make the dopey smile go away.  “Fucking shit you’re gorgeous…”

 

Wrench jumped and spun to look at him.  “Jesus Christ, M!  Warn a guy!”  Still, a smile took over his bare face.  He set his water down in time for Marcus to cross the kitchen and swallow him with his arms.  Wrench threw a leg around Marcus’ waist with a grin, curling his arms around his neck.  “You know I think I’m getting used to this whole ‘living together’ thing.”

 

Marcus beamed at him.  “Yeah?  That why you’re so eager?”  He ran a hand up the looped leg, dragging his fingers along his thigh and ending on his backside, giving it a squeeze.

 

Wrench laughed and let his head drop back.  “Ha, not that eager, casanova.”  He removed his leg and planted a hand on Marcus’ face, pushing him away.  “It’s too early for you to fuck me on the counter.  Plus I gotta make lunch on that.”

 

Marcus snorted as he turned to lean back against the counter.  “And the fact that we ate dinner last week at a table we’d christened two hours earlier didn’t bother you because…?”

 

Wrench’s mouth gaped like a fish for a second as he tried to think of a defense.

 

Marcus laughed.  “Dude, just say you’re not in the mood.”

 

“I’m not in the mood.”  Wrench said, like it was his idea.

 

“Fair.”  Marcus watched Wrench turn away and pick up his water again to finish the glass, and he tried to formulate a way to ask him about what he was doing without actually asking.  “I don’t know about you, but tonight feels like a date night.  You wanna go see if we can get our hands on that horror movie that’s coming out next month?”

 

Wrench tilted the glass down again and swallowed.  He winced.

 

Marcus’ face fell, but not enough to be upset.  This was what he planned after all.  “You got plans?”

 

“Sorta?  I’ve got this… thing.”

 

“A thing.”  Marcus’ grin returned.  “This a, uh… small thing?”

 

Wrench flapped his hand at him.  “Yeah, it’s- it’s no big deal, it’s just a thing I gotta do, that’s all.  But I’ll be back tonight.”

 

“Yeah, I know.”  The concern was boiling again.  “You’re okay though, right?  You’re not like, seeing an oncologist or something.”

 

“Depends, are they hot?  You wanna share?”

 

Marcus snorted again.  “Wrench.”

 

Wrench laughed again.  “Sorry, sorry.  No, no oncologists.  Or doctors.”  He grinned at him.  “Despite all the shit I do to this body, I am somehow perfectly healthy.”  He paused and glanced at a nearby wall.  “Uh, physically.”

 

“I guess I was just worried what with all this water you’re drinking.  You haven’t been drinking enough booze the last few days to need it.  Like any booze.  At all.”  Marcus said, hoping to eke more answers out of him.

 

Wrench shrugged.  “Eh, I just want a clear head for it.  I promise I’m okay.”

 

Marcus shook his head and leaned over, throwing an arm around Wrench and pressing his lips to the birthmark.  “As long as you ain’t dying, you do you, man.”

 

Wrench shut the eye closest to the kiss and snickered.  “This is probably a bad time to remind you that you can lose limbs and keep living.”

 

“Yeah don’t do that either.”

 

Wrench smiled at him, but there was a twitch it, and Marcus let his eyes drift to the floor.  Wrench had reached his comfort limit.

 

The perks of living with Wrench was how frequently he got to see his face now.  It was only for a little while, and it depended on how Wrench felt, but he still got to see it every day.  He’d see it when Wrench groggily ate cereal when he woke up, and he’d see it when they went to bed at night.  Honestly, he didn’t mind if he couldn’t see it more.

 

He paced out of the kitchen and into their room down the hall, retrieving the mask.  He walked back into the kitchen and handed it to him.  “Can I get one more kiss before the only affection I can show you is semi-public hand jobs?”  He asked, trying to keep his disappointment hidden.

 

Wrench snickered at him.  “Well since you asked so nicely.”  He brought one hand to Marcus’ collar and yanked him forward.  Marcus closed his eyes before their lips found each other.  Wrench reacted better if Marcus wasn’t watching him.

 

The kiss was slow and practiced.  Wrench’s lips left Marcus’ only to press in again at a new angle.  His thin hands set the mask on the counter and held the sides of Marcus’ head.  As much as Marcus loved their deep kisses at night, there was something peaceful about the morning ones.  There were no desperate tongues or clicking teeth, no expectations or demands; There was only lazy lips and calm breaths.

 

Wrench pulled away, and Marcus opened his eyes long enough for Wrench to give him one last look at his face before the mask replaced it.  He usual face lit up and calibrated, and Marcus smirked when the emotive state landed on hearts.  “You _sure_ you’re not in the mood?”  He teased.

 

Wrench hunched his shoulders in embarrassment and playfully punched Marcus in the shoulder.  “Shut up.”

 

~

 

None of the reassurances were making Marcus feel any less frustrated.  He absolutely did not need to know where Wrench was going, but it hurt that Wrench wouldn’t tell him.  After a few hours alone after Wrench stepped out, Marcus’ head made the worst of what it could mean.  Wrench didn’t trust him.  Wrench wanted to be away from him.  Those thoughts stewed in him and threatened to bubble over.

 

It was hard for SItara not to notice. She wandered to where Marcus was sitting on the couch messing with the playlist on his phone.  “Why do you look like someone kicked your dog?”  She paused.  “You… didn’t get a dog, did you, because Wrench will kick it.”

 

Marcus smirked and tugged out a headphone.  “Nah, no dogs.  Wrench is busy today.”

 

Sitara winced.  “ _Damn_ , you’ve got it bad.”  She grinned at him and put her hand on Marcus’ hat, rubbing it into his head.  “I’m happy for you though.”

 

Marcus flailed her hand away and laughed.  He ducked his head again and sighed, looking back at his phone.  “Thanks…”

 

Sitara swung her legs over the back of the couch and sat beside him.  “…That wasn’t a very convincing thanks.  Is everything okay?”

 

“Oh yeah, we’re fine!  No, don’t worry.  Nothing’s happened, we’re good.”  Marcus sighed.  “I wanted to do something with him today, but he’s busy.  I’m honestly just pouting, I promise.”

 

Sitara took it in and looked unconvinced.  But she still made a face.  “Ew, you guys are gross,” She teased.  She stood up again and made for her corner where a few cases were sitting open full of spray paint, stencils, and markers.

 

Marcus turned to regard them.  “What’s that for?”

 

Sitara smiled at him.  “Oh, Ray and I are working on an art installation.  He’s finishing welding it right now, and I’m gonna deck it out.  We’ll send you pictures when it’s done.”

 

Marcus huffed and rolled to lean into the back of the couch with a pout.  “Aw man, you’re busy too?  You _and_ Ray?”

 

She winced at him.  “Yeah, sorry!  I’d say you could hang out with Josh, but-”

 

“I’m busy,” Came the almost immediate call from Josh’s wing of the hackerspace.

 

Sitara gave Marcus and apologetic smile.  “He’s been working on that code all week…  It’s probably best to leave him to it.”  Marcus whined again and Sitara closed up her cases once they were packed.  “It’s just one day, dude.  We’ll be back tomorrow, Wrench will be back tomorrow…  You only have to be bored today.”

 

Marcus groaned again and flopped back onto the couch.  “You guys are killing me.”

 

Sitara snickered at him.  “Cry harder, Marcus.”

 

~

 

Marcus wound up at 10Donuts.  He’d tried playing around at the hackerspace for a while, but his mind was starting to wander to dark places again.  When Josh tried to pause his work to make sure he was okay, that’s when Marcus decided he needed to take a walk.  Josh didn’t deserve to have to stop just to help Marcus.

 

That didn’t stop him from looking mopey in the corner booth.

 

Noami set his coffee on the table, but kept a claw-like grip on it when Marcus went to pick it up.  “That face had better not because you and Wrench broke up, because I swear to god-”

 

Marcus arched an eyebrow at her.  “No.  Now you better let go of my coffee.”

 

Noami released her prisoner and sat across from Marcus.  “Okay, danger mode disengaged.  What’s up then?  Should I have added scotch to that coffee?”

 

Marcus smirked.  “No, I’m just… I guess I’m overreacting.”

 

“With Wrench?  I think that’s just called ‘reacting’.”  She tried to smile at him with encouragement, but Marcus wasn’t lifting his head.  She rolled her eyes.  “Okay…  Do you think he’s cheating on you?  Because you’re wrong.  Like really wrong.  He fucking nuts about you.”

 

Marcus smiled despite his gloom.  “Yeah, he makes that pretty clear…  No, I don’t think he’s cheating.”  He sighed.  “You know he goes off on his own sometimes, and that’s not weird, but he’s-…”  He tapped his fingers on the table.  “He’s got all these places he goes, and I thought I knew them all, but I don’t.  And I shouldn’t care, because I don’t gotta know everything, but I just… I’m worried about him.”

 

It was Naomi’s turn to lift an eyebrow.  “Okay, that last bit is just being a good boyfriend.  Everything else?  You were right, totally overreacting.”

 

Marcus laughed at her and finally lifted his head.  “Harsh, man!”  He leaned on the table.  “I just… I dunno where he’s going today, and he made a point to not tell me.  He hasn’t been drinking anything but water, and I think I saw his ass with apple juice.  Can you picture him with a damn Motts in his hand?  Because I couldn’t until yesterday.”

 

Naomi cackled behind her hand.  “Jesus.  Wrench is drinking juice, call the coast guard!”

 

Marcus could have pouted.  “Come on, I’m serious.  You only fast from booze if you’re seeing a doctor or some shit.”

 

“Or if you’re about to undergo strenuous activity?”  Naomi offered.  Then she paused and stared at the table.  “Oh wait, shit.  What day is it?”

 

“March 16th?”  Marcus answered.

 

Naomi slapped her forehead.  “Oh duh.  Withershins.”

 

Marcus squinted at her.  “Wither-what?”

 

“Withershins.  It’s like this ‘black magic night market’ or whatever, it’s full of performers and art stalls.  He’ll be there.”  She stole Marcus’ coffee from in front of him and took a sip.

 

Marcus didn’t even register that she’d done it.  He was too busy being confused.  “Okay, I have never heard of that.  How the hell could I have missed something like that?”

 

“They don’t really advertise.  It’s like some cult-y word of mouth sort of thing.”  She gave him back his coffee and smirked at him again.  “Ya know, for a guy who goes to an equally unadvertised gathering in the middle of the desert, you sure are surprised that something could slip under your radar.”  She stood up and patted his shoulder.  “Go check it out.  It’s pretty bomb.”

 

Marcus watched her wander to another table to check on them, and he sighed.  He stared at his coffee and looked out at the street in the setting sun.  “…Withershins, huh…?”  If anything, he looked more concerned than before.  If that was where Wrench was going, why wouldn’t he just invite him along?  Why would he keep it from him?

 

~

 

It turned out that Withershins was nearly impossible to find unless you knew somebody who’d been there before and could tell you where to go.  Marcus had clearly never been, so he turned to other Dedsec members instead.  He tried Kailey at first, wondering if maybe she’d been before.  She had heard of it but had never been because it wasn’t her scene.  She led him to one of her friends outside of Dedsec who had.  That girl had admitted that she was horrendously drunk when she went and couldn’t remember where it was, but directed him to the address of her brother.

 

Three more friends of friends later, Marcus found himself in the back of a dented jeep with a man named Needles who had a lime green mohawk and more metal in his face than there was in his entire car.  “Dude, you’re gonna love this shit, I swear to god,” The man promised for the fifth time in the thirty minutes they’d been in the car.

 

“Yeah, you think so?”  Marcus didn’t bother mentioning that he’d been told as much already.  The man in the driver’s seat was too excited to care, and probably too high as well.

 

“Yeah, man.  You got any tattoos?  ‘Cause if you’re here, you oughtta get one.”

 

Marcus gave him a nervous laugh.  “Nah, I think I’m good, dude.  I’m just here with a friend, and he didn’t tell me where to go.”

 

Needles shrugged.  “Suit yourself.  Ah, here we go!”  He gestured ahead.  There was a long line of cars along a road that was built out of the side of a steep mountain, all empty and parked haphazardly.  They were empty of people, and there was no sign of life out here other than those empty vehicles.  There were a few scattered street lights, but one of them was out.  The road was barren of life.

 

It was _creepy_.

 

Marcus tucked his hand behind him and closed it around his monkey fist.  “You’re sure this is the place?”

 

“Yep!”  Needles pulled into an empty spot between a tipped motorcycle and a rusted, trailer-less semi.  “Come on, ladder’s over here!”

 

Needles’ eagerness to exit he car and lead the way made Marcus loosen his grip on his weapon.  Something about the man’s buoyant personality told him that he wasn’t much of a threat and probably meant well.  He also figured Kailey wasn’t still bitter enough to send him on a wild goose chase that ended in a psychotic killer driving him to the middle of nowhere and killing him.

 

He followed Needles as he climbed over the guardrail of the road and watched his booted foot find a ladder.  “See ya at the bottom man!”  He gripped the sides of the ladder with his hands, his boots leaving the rungs, and he slid to the all the way down with a whoop of joy.

 

Marcus shook his head with a smirk as he swung his legs over the guardrail as well.  This guy was exactly the type Marcus would expect to see at a gig that Wrench would attend.  Wrench had always been so gritty and _real_ that this was shaping into the perfect place for him to be.

 

Marcus reached the bottom and turned to find that he was alone again.  Needles had run off.  “Uh… Needles?”  He stepped away from the ladder and walked into the woods a ways, hand hovering by his weapon again.  “Hey, where’d you go man, I dunno where this shit is!”  He rounded a tree and squinted into the darkness ahead of him, prepared for anything.

 

Then, he saw a light.  In the distance, there was a flickering of flame, and he followed it.  The closer he grew, the more celebration he heard, and the more the area lit up.  When he finally broke through the trees, he may as well have been in daylight.

 

The path to the Withershins festival with lit with torches and grew to spot lights and neon signs.  Those different colours bounced off of metal spikes sticking out from shoulders and throats of the party goers.  There were tattoos further than the eye could see, and twisted sculptures of metal and wire everywhere. There were a few RVs that were lit up with signs advertising the tattoos that Needles was talking about.  There were artists with hand dyed scarves and clothing, there were henna artists, and Marcus was pretty sure some people were reading tarot cards out there.

 

In the distance, over the crowd and the tall tents, Marcus could see and massive metal octopus statue hanging from a crane above what looked to be the centre of everything.  He made his way through the crowd towards it.

 

The closer he got to the sculpture, the more the word ‘massive’ really didn’t describe it well enough.  He kept walking until he was standing directly under it.  “Holy fuck that’s cool.”

 

“Marcus?”

 

Marcus turned to the speaker and narrowed his eyes.  “…Ray?”

 

Ray was completely decked in biker gear and a look of confusion on his face.  “I didn’t know you were hittin’ this place up too.  Why didn’t you say somethin’?  You coulda rode with us.”

 

Marcus held his hands up.  “Whoa, whoa.  Us?”

 

Ray gestured at the crowd.  “Yeah!  Sitara’s out there somewhere.  Apparently she and Wrench come to this shindig every month.”  He pointed up.  “We been workin’ on that since the end o’ January.”

 

Marcus looked back up and did a double take back to Ray.  “Wait, _you_ made that!?”

 

“Yep.  I welded it.  Sitara designed it and painted it.  She spent half that time upside down to paint them tentacles right.  Michelangelo ain’t got shit on our girl.”  Ray said, crossing his arms and looking proud.  “Didn’t come to life until she got her paws on it.”

 

Marcus grinned up at the octopus as he stared at it.  He realised that it had motion as he watched.  The chilly breeze would blow, and the tentacles would shift and swing in response.  They must have been balanced within the body of the beast, because it made it look so alive.  Ray was right.  “So this is what she meant…”  His glee got the better of him, and he bounced on his feet, clapping a hand on Ray’s shoulder.  “The shit is fucking _tight_ , Ray, look at that!  That’s bigger than HQ, holy shit!”

 

Ray laughed along with him and threw an arm over his shoulder.  “Glad you like it!  No idea what the hell we’re doin’ with it after this.”

 

Marcus smirked at him.  “Oh, I think we can find a home for it.  Looming over some asshole’s office.”

 

Ray’s grin spread.  “I like the way you think, son.”

 

Marcus beamed.  “So hey, where _is_ Sitara?  Or Wrench for that matter?”

 

Ray pointed to another path that led past more lights and stands.  Someone down that way was swallowing a sword, and he was sure someone else was spitting fire.  “Down the end of that way’s the Human Mobile.  Actually, if we wanna see it, we better get down there.”  He patted Marcus’ shoulder and began walking.

 

Marcus followed at his side.  “The fuck’s a Human Mobile?”

 

Ray chuckled at him.  “No idea.  This is my first time here.  I thought Wrench woulda told ya.”

 

Marcus’ smile was faltering.  “No, he-… He didn’t tell me anything.”  As cool as this place was, it was sinking in again why he was here.  Wrench wasn’t telling him where he was going.  Why wouldn’t he tell him about this?  This place was amazing, and it looked like a place Wrench could be comfortable.  If this was a safe space for him, why wouldn’t he invite Marcus?

 

Was he not giving him enough space?  He knew he was touchy, but Wrench never told him he minded.  Maybe he _had_ followed him too often?  Maybe not inviting him along was Wrench’s way of saying to back off a bit.  Marcus was coming on too strong.

 

As they entered the crowd of people surrounding another apparatus hanging on a crane above an immaculate stage, Ray took his shoulder.  “Hey, you all right?  You look like someone slapped ya.”

 

“Yeah, I’m fine, I just… I think I might be fucking up somewhere man.”  He turned to him with a concerned crease in his forehead.  “I don’t think I should be here.”

 

“Marcus!?”  There was a happy cry over the crowd, and when he turned, he had his arms full of Sitara.  “You’re here!  Hey!”

 

Marcus hugged her in return and brought his smile back.  “Hey!  I saw your octopus, man, that was some cool shit!”

 

She tugged back and beamed at him.  Her septum piercing had been changed to a loop with spikes on it, and she was in garb similar to her old clothes, but dark, more shredded, and she fit right in with the sharp crowd.  “Thanks.  I’ve been working on that design for a while, they’ve been asking me for an installation for months.”

 

“And it is badass.”  Marcus left his hand on her shoulder.

 

Sitara looked ecstatic.  “I’m just so happy Wrench finally invited you here.  He’s been so nervous about it.”

 

Marcus gave her an awkward smile.  “Uh… No, he-…”  He watched Sitara’s smile shrivel.  He thumbed out to the crowd.  “I got a ride with some guy named Needles.”

 

“Wrench didn’t invite you?”  Sitara asked.

 

Marcus shook his head.

 

Sitara bit her lip.  She glanced at the stage and then back again.  “Marcus, you should probably go.”

 

Marcus narrowed his eyes at her.  As much as he had agreed with the sentiment a moment ago, he felt annoyed now.  Sitara knew why Wrench came to this place.  Why would Wrench tell Sitara, but not him?  Why would he be okay with Ray coming, but not Marcus?  “Okay, I’ll bite.  Why?”

 

Before Sitara could respond, cheering drowned out most of the sound from anyone else, and Marcus turned away to the ‘stage’.  There was a hype man out near the front of the crowd, looking pleased with himself and toting around a megaphone.  “ _Full Mobile tonight everybody!_ ”  Marcus heard before the crowd grew louder and muffled everything else he was saying.  He moved his mouth closer to the megaphone to try and speak louder, but he grew more muffled, and Marcus couldn’t make out what he was saying over the cacophony.  He gestured broadly to a line of a people— men and women and in between— who were half dressed or in something akin to underwear.

 

Somewhere in the middle of the pack, mask alight with excitement, was Wrench, shirtless and in his ratty shoes and a pair of loose shorts.  He was wearing a black snood in the place of his usual hood to cover the top of his head.  It looked like one of Sitara’s.

 

The announcer yelled louder, and Marcus could barely make out the words. “ _They can’t hear you!_ ”  The crowd somehow found a higher volume.  Then, some speakers around the stage blared with a heavy guitar.

 

Sitara yanked his arm so he would turn to her.  “Marcus, you have to go!  Wrench isn’t ready for you to be here!”  He had to read her lips along with the slight sounds he could barely here over the insanity.

 

Marcus pursed his lips and turned back to the show.  He felt Sitara tug again, but he didn’t let himself be budged.

 

He heard Sitara groan, and she yanked his head down to talk into his ear.  “Fine, but you need to not lose your shit, okay!?”

 

The massive mobile was lowered to the floor, and the first four people walked up to another man near it, who was wearing black latex gloves.  He walked behind each of them, doing something behind their backs that Marcus couldn’t see, changing his gloves out between each person.  Then, the hype man hit a button.  The rig rose from the ground and took the people with it—

 

Hanging from hooks through the skin of their backs.

 

Marcus went rigid, and Sitara caught his arm again.  Still, he watched as a second set of ropes were uncoiled, and Wrench and a few others strolled up for their turns.  Marcus brought his hand to his mouth.  “What the fuck…?”  He was afraid to be loud.

 

Wrench got into position, and when he turned, Marcus could see that he already had hooks in his back, a bit of blood having trailed down from the wounds.  An overprotective wave washed over him, but Sitara held him harder.  “Marcus, he is fine.  He’s _fine_.”

 

“How the hell is that fine!?”  Marcus asked.

 

He watched the man rig the last person on that level, and the hype man lifted his hand.  Before the rig even rose, Wrench had pulled his legs up, and the skin of his back stretched to take his weight.  Then he was in the air.

 

Marcus didn’t even register the last group rigged.  Instead, he watched Wrench and the others already in the air spinning and swinging about to the blaring music.  Wrench’s expressions only cycled through happy ones as he had an unheard, nonverbal conversation with the others dangling on his level, reaching his hands out to them so they could help him spin.

 

The announcer was talking again, and he could hear Sitara trying to say something to him, but he couldn’t focus on them.  All he could see were the hooks in Wrench’s back, stretching his skin to the limit and hanging him there like some piece of meat.  He saw how red the skin was as he twisted his body around in _glee_ rather than pain.

 

Wrench eventually stopped spinning, and the gloved man caught the ankle of a girl on the bottom level, tugging her and spinning the whole piece that they were attached to.  The mobile began to turn to show off each performer, and every one of them looked just as ecstatic to be up there as Wrench.

 

The Mobile displayed them all for the duration of the rest of the song that was playing, and Wrench swung back into view and he lifted his head out to the crowd.  With an expression of shock on that mask, he locked eyes with Marcus.  His body language changed.  His hands became fists, and his legs bent to pull up towards himself.  He was closing himself off.  Marcus’ own body tensed.  Wrench’s visage meant precisely what he thought; Wrench didn’t want him here.

 

A girl dangling at Wrench's side noticed Wrench’s change in demeanour and reached out to take Wrench’s hand, mouth asking if he was okay.  Wrench didn’t respond.  Instead he watched as Marcus finally turned from stage, ignoring Sitara and Ray’s attempts to get him to stop, and walked away.

 

~


	2. Stretched Thin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I AM SO SORRY.

“Marcus would you slow down!?”  Sitara was marching up to his side keeping with his stride.  “I told you not to lose your shit, you need to calm down!”

 

Marcus took a short step away from her, but he stopped.  “Did you know?  Did you know he was doing that?”

 

“Of course I did!”  She gestured back toward the stage.  “It is _not_ a big deal, it’s a performance!”

 

“He had fucking _hooks_ in his back, Sitara!”  Marcus fought back.

 

“Marcus!”  Wrench’s voice was loud and intrusive over the buzz of people.  He had a towel around his shoulders and was being chased out of the tent by the man in gloves.  He turned to the man and held up his hands.  “I’ll be back in a minute, I promise.”

 

“You have five,” The man warned before pulling off his gloves and going back inside.

 

Marcus turned to him, looking angry, but behind the anger there was a deep concern.  In the end, that concern won out once Wrench got close enough.  “God, what the fuck did you do to yourself, man…?”  He moved to take Wrench’s arms and spin him around to check the wounds, but Wrench pulled away.

 

“Okay no.  Hey.  Stop.”  Wrench held his hands up.  “First of all I didn’t ‘do’ anything to myself.”

 

“Are we gonna argue semantics now?  Seriously?”

 

Wrench groaned.  “No we’re not!  This is-… I-It’s just a thing I do once in a while, okay?  It’s not a big deal, I’m not in danger.  These guys know what they’re doing-”

 

Marcus took a step closer to Wrench to keep his voice down.  “You told me you would come to me first if you felt like you needed something like this.  If you were feeling upset or something, you said you would _talk to me_.”

 

Wrench’s mask gave him a puzzled look before realisation sunk in.  “Wha- No, _shit_ no, Marcus that is not even what this is.  It’s just performance, it’s fun, it’s- it’s-… It’s _good_ , I don’t even know how the fuck to explain this to you, you’re already mad.”

 

“I’m mad because you didn’t tell me!  You told _Ray_ , you told Sitara, but you never told me.  You never told me that you would… would hurt yourself like this for _fun_.”  Marcus crossed his arms.

 

Wrench looked taken aback.  “…I was working my way _up_ to you.  Sitara’s always known, so leave her the fuck out of it.”

 

Marcus turned to Sitara like she should have said something, but Wrench marched forward and yanked his arm to turn him from her.

 

“Stop it.”  He took a shaky breath, distorted by the mask, and squeezed his arm.  “Please just try to fucking listen, because right now you’re looking at me like I’m some kind of freak, and I can’t take that right now.”

 

Marcus flinched, but still he pulled away.  “And how am I supposed to take _this_ , Wrench?”

 

“Not like this!”  Wrench reached into his hood and gripped his hair.  “God, you’re standing there being pissed at me for a stupid fucking reason-”

 

“A _stupid_ reason!?  Wrench, me being worried about you hurting yourself for entertainment is not a stupid reason!”  He took a breath and tried to read Wrench’s body language as his mask wasn’t being very helpful.  The days of seeing Wrench’s face allowed Marcus to read the subtle things in Wrench’s eyebrows, or the corners of his mouth.  For the first time, he cursed that mask.  “How long have you been doing this?  How- How long has this been a thing?”

 

Wrench looked stiff and cold, and he pulled the towel tighter around him.  “…Before I knew you, M.”

 

Sitara walked between them and faced Marcus, both to remind them that she was there and to protect Wrench.  “I’m the one who got him into it, Marcus.  You’re not allowed to be mad at him without being mad at me, but you need to take a step back right now.”  She had one hand behind her on Wrench’s arm and the other was gestured out to Marcus.  “Now I want you to go home.  Find a ride, catch a cab, steal a car, I don’t care.  But you are freaking out, and you’re taking it out on Wrench.  It’s not fair.”  Behind her, Wrench ducked his head and rested it between her shoulders.

 

That move was enough for Marcus’ breath to hitch in his lungs.  Wrench was hiding.  From _him_.  His hands balled into fists at his sides, and he turned to the ground.  A hand clapped onto his shoulder, and he looked up to find Ray, looking uneasy but kind.  “Come on kid, I’ll take ya home.”

 

Marcus inhaled slowly through his nose and sighed.  “Okay.  All right, just… wait.”  He took a step toward Wrench and Sitara, and with a squint, Sitara moved away.  Marcus swallowed his pride.  “Come on man, I ain’t leaving like this…”  Wrench lifted his head in time to be gathered in Marcus’ arms.  Marcus kept his arms low on his back and away from the wounds.  Wrench leaned his head down and rested his chin on Marcus’ shoulder.  Marcus closed his eyes and tried to calm down.  “…I’ll see you at home, all right…?”

 

Wrench couldn’t bring his voice out, but he nodded into Marcus’ shoulder.  Only then did Marcus pull away and back up to Ray’s side.  Ray patted his back and led him toward the front of the festival.

 

Wrench sucked in a sharp breath and hunched his shoulders, freeing a hand to grip his head.  “Fuck!”

 

Sitara took his arm and turned him around.  “Come on.  Benny’s not done with you yet.”

 

Wrench hissed as he pulled the towel too tightly across his back.  “H-How the fuck did he even know I would be here!?”

 

“He probably just asked somebody who didn’t know you were keeping it secret.  You know Marcus, he has to know everything.” She rubbed his lower back and pulled her hand back with blood on it.  She winced.  “Okay yeah, back to Benny.  You’re bleeding again.”  She angled him by his arms and pushed him back toward the tent, where the man, Benny, was waiting with a new pair of gloves to tend to him.

 

~

 

Ray pulled up the complex where Marcus and Wrench were living and put the car in park.  Marcus was silent for a while, staring down at his hands in the street light streaming into the car.  On those hands, dried from when he’d hugged Wrench, was blood.  It wasn’t much, but it made his hands shake to see it.

 

Ray sighed and looked away from his hands.  “It’s not that I don’t see where you’re comin’ from.  I do.  But I think you’re goin’ a little hard at this.”

 

Marcus closed his eyes, but he lifted his hands.  “I get nightmares like this.  I got blood on my damn hands, and I look up, and h-he’s… he’s gone.”  He took a breath and lowered his hands.  “It started after Horatio, and my head kept reminding me that I was too damn late, but since I got with Wrench, it stopped bein’ Horatio.  I started looking up, and there was Wrench, too gone for me to do anything.”

 

Ray turned to him again.  “Marcus, Wrench ain’t goin’ nowhere.  Not unless you keep pushin’ like you’re doin’.”

 

Marcus flinched.  “I’m not trying to!  I just don’t want him doing stupid shit like this, because one day something _is_ gonna go wrong.  Somethin’s gonna fuck up, and I’m gonna be too damn late again.”

 

Ray rolled his eyes despite his attempts to stop it.  “Marcus, this is not the same thing.  What Wrench is doin’ there ain’t nearly as bad as other shit he’s been through, and you know it.”

 

“That ‘other shit’ is stuff that happens because we’re out fighting people!  It’s not stuff that Wrench does to endanger himself _specifically_ when I’m not there!”  Marcus curled his fingers and tucked his hands out of view.

 

Ray frowned again.  “He is surrounded by professionals when he’s up there.  Hell, he’s apparently been doin’ this a while, _he’s_ a professional.  He knows what he’s doing.  And you need to stop blaming yourself for shit that ain’t got nothin’ to do with you.”

 

Marcus shut his eyes again and brought his hands up to grip his forehead.

 

Ray settled back into his seat again.  “Now you should go and get cleaned up.  Lie down and try to clear your head.  You don’t wanna go into this talk angry.  You wanna try and see where he’s comin’ from.”

 

“No offense Ray, but I really don’t need relationship advice from you.  We are fine.”  Marcus dropped his hands to his lap.  “We’ll sort this out somehow, I just… need time.”

 

Ray shook his head.  “Do some research.  Take my advice or don’t.  Just make sure Wrench knows you still love him.”

 

Marcus sighed one more time and turned to Ray.  “I do.”

 

“Hey, I know that.  Just make sure he does, too.”

 

Marcus stepped out of the car, and Ray drove off into the darkness.

 

When Marcus got back to his door, he found that he had trouble going inside.  He had no idea what time Wrench would be home, but the prospect of talking to him about this was suddenly terrifying.  What if they fought over it again?  Marcus felt strongly that he never wanted to see Wrench like that ever again, but he knew that Wrench was attached to the act, and telling him to stop likely wasn’t going to go over well.

 

Finally, Marcus unlocked the door and pushed himself inside.  He had to take a shower.  He had to relax.  He had to breathe.

 

~

 

Wrench got home a few hours later.  Withershins was still in full swing back in the woods, but he hadn’t been able to bring himself to enjoy any of it.  There were too many questions and fears in his head.

 

He was in his normal clothes again, and from an outsider’s standpoint, he looked no worse for the wear.  But he knew better, and so did Marcus.

 

He opened the door slowly, like a teenager sneaking back in after a party.  The main room lights were off, as were the kitchen and hallway, but there was a light from a small lamp in their room streaming across the floor and beckoning him back.  Wrench’s gut twisted; Marcus liked to leave that light on when Wrench would be coming home late so he could find his way back in the dark.  Despite everything, Marcus had that light on anyway.  A bit of Wrench’s fear ebbed.

 

He pushed the bedroom door open and found Marcus lying on his side in the bed, seemingly already asleep.  He bit his lip under his mask and walked into the bathroom, shutting the door carefully.

 

He wasn’t ready.  God, he wasn’t ready for this fight, and he wasn’t ready to lose something that’s been such a part of himself for so long… And he wasn’t ready to lose Marcus.

 

He’d been in relationships before, but what he had with Marcus was the type of relationship that made him question if the other ones were even really love at all.  If they had been, he certainly didn’t put all his chips in those baskets like he had with Marcus.  He hadn’t told anybody else why he was covered in blown out tattoos or why he liked tall buildings.  Marcus knew everything.

 

As he sat on the bathroom floor, staring at the door, Wrench was suddenly hit with how hard he’d officially fallen for Marcus.  The thought, the memory, of Marcus being so upset about something that Wrench had done, the idea that all of this _good_ could end—  Wrench was trying not to hyperventilate.

 

He couldn’t do this to himself.  He forced himself to stand and get changed.  He left his mask on.

 

He exited the bathroom with just as much care as he’d used entering the flat.  Marcus hadn’t moved.  While to anyone else, this would mean that Marcus was asleep, Wrench knew better.  He watched him breath, hitched and tight, and not nearly as deep as it should have been.  His body language was too curled— too closed.  Wrench bit his lip and sat on his side of the bed, facing away from Marcus.  He was exhausted, but he couldn’t pull his eyes away from the wall.

 

The bed shifted behind him.  The next thing he felt was careful hands sliding up the back of his shirt.  He ducked his head as the fabric was pushed up over his shoulders, and he felt a hot sigh on his back.  Fingers traced a wide arc around his bandages, careful of the bruising from the strain of the hooks.

 

“Do they hurt…?”

 

Wrench shook his head.  “No.  Kinda feels like I’ve been doing too many damn pull-ups though.”

 

The gentle prodding continued.  Wrench could have fallen asleep if he wasn’t so aware of why it was happening.  Marcus sighed again.  “I’ve never thought about it…  I’ve never actually seen your back this close before.  Even when we’re together, you’re always facing me.”

 

Wrench snorted.  “Yeah, that’s got nothing to do with these.  You’re a much better view than the wall.”  He dared to smile, even if Marcus couldn’t see it and the mask didn’t show it.  Slowly, it faded.  “I’m not going to stop,” He said.

 

Marcus’ fingers froze, and Wrench squeezed his eyes shut.

 

Wrench took a breath.  “I know that’s what you want me to do, but I won’t.  If that means you think I’m a freak, then I’m just gonna have to deal with you being exactly like everyone else.  Not like it’s new.  Even people that like me think I’m psycho, so whatever.”

 

Marcus was silent and still for a while, but the shirt was lowered and a kiss was placed on the back of Wrench’s neck.  “I don’t think you’re a freak, Wrench…”  Marcus moved away from him and retreated to his side of the bed, back facing Wrench.

 

Wrench glanced over his shoulder at him.  “…But…?”

 

Marcus’ shoulders grew tense.  “But I need time to process this.”

 

Wrench chewed on his bottom lip, ducking his head and clenching his fists.  The small lamp on Marcus’ table was turned off behind him, and Wrench finally brought himself to take off his mask. He set it on his table, flipped the covers over, and crawled into bed behind Marcus.  Nothing was said for a few minutes, but Wrench’s terror was getting the better of him again.  He shifted further over and rested his forehead against Marcus’ back.  “Marcus…?”

 

“Hm?”

 

“…Are we okay?”

 

The silence that followed echoed in the empty space growing in Wrench’s chest.  Marcus shifted away so that he could turn over and gather Wrench in his arms, one under his head and the other around his waist, pulling him against him.  “We’ll be fine…”

 

It wasn’t a yes.  Wrench ducked his head into Marcus’ shoulder.  Sleep would be hard tonight.

 

~

 

When Wrench woke up the next morning, he was alone.  This was not abnormal, as Marcus had always been an early riser compared to him, but the chill of the empty bed settled into his bones now.  This was different.

 

He wandered out to the kitchen where coffee had been made, but Marcus was absent.  A mug was sitting in the sink, finished and rinsed out.  Marcus wasn’t home.  Wrench sighed and returned to the bedroom to collect his mask.

 

As he picked it up, a piece of paper fluttered back onto the table.  He bit his lip and lifted it to read it.

 

‘ ** _Went out to clear my head._**

****

**_Coffee’s made.  Please eat something._ **

****

**_ I love you. _ **

****

**_-M_** ’

 

The messages were short, like Marcus wasn’t sure what to say.  Wrench sighed and folded the paper again, setting it back on the table.  He put the mask on his face.  He couldn’t be upset that Marcus had gone off on his own.  Wrench did it all the time, and until last night, Marcus had never once complained.  But it left something cold in his heart anyway.

 

His morning wore on in silence.  He wandered the apartment, staring at everything a bit too long as if it would be the last time he’d see it and made a decision.

 

He found the notepad Marcus had used to leave his note and scribbled his own, tearing it off and sticking it to the first wall Marcus would see when he came in.  He found a torn up duffle bag and stuffed some clothes into it, grabbing his toothbrush on his way by the bathroom. He snagged Marcus’ note and folded it carefully, tucking it into a vest pocket.  He sat on the bed to put his shoes on and stood away from it, turning to regard it one more time.  He squeezed his eyes shut, shouldered his bag and walked out of the bedroom.  Lights were turned off on his way through, and then he was out the front door, locking up behind him.

 

In the dim light from the sun outside, his note was legible to the next person who walk in.

 

‘ ** _I need to be alone for a while.  I’ll be at the garage._**

****

**_Call me if you need me._ **

****

****

****

**_I love you too._** ’

 

~

 

Marcus never called for anything but work.

 

They still regarded each other as a couple when they interacted.  Marcus would find Wrench’s hand and squeeze, Wrench would still lift his mask for kisses when nobody else was looking, but there was an uneasy air about them.  Marcus’ hugs were _careful_.  Even after Wrench’s back was healed, he would only hug him around the waist and never any higher.  His smiles were nervous or sad, and he wouldn’t smile much if he thought Wrench wasn’t looking.

 

The biggest hint that things were still sour was that he hadn’t invited him back to the apartment yet.  Their plain, white, tiled ceilings had been replaced with the decorated ceiling of the upstairs room of the garage, and Wrench was beginning to hate it.

 

The small room above the work space had once been an office and had been converted into Wrench’s bedroom long before Marcus had even been on their radar.  When Wrench moved in with him, he took most of the things out of there that made it a bedroom except for the ratty mattress and sheets (even after he moved out, sometimes it was still fun to relive the ‘good ol’ days’ and fuck upstairs), and now it was an empty shell of a room without his stuff.  He was wondering if he would have to go back to the apartment and get the rest of his stuff soon, but he was hoping against all odds that it wouldn’t come to that.  He would wait for Marcus’ call.

 

But Marcus couldn’t possibly leave him for this.  It was a stupid thing to break over, but the longer their night time separation lasted, the more Wrench was convinced it was coming to that.  Marcus wasn’t happy anymore, even if they were faking it on the surface.

 

The closer that inevitability grew, the more Wrench was beginning to think that Marcus may have a point.  The prospect of losing Marcus was colder and harder than the prospect of never suspending again.  The heat of the hooks while he was hanging there in the chilled air wasn’t good enough of a replacement for Marcus’ smiles or his arms.

 

He mulled over the idea when Marcus stopped by for his birthday.  He’d nicked a few foreign horror films that weren’t expected in theatres for another few months and bought a projector so they could watch them on the inside of the garage door.  Marcus had driven in some hot rod with too long of a nose, and they set up pillows and blankets on the hood to watch them from there.

 

It had started like nothing was wrong at all.  Marcus smile was full and excited, and he displayed his haul with widespread arms like the goofball he hadn’t been in weeks.  It made Wrench forget for a second that something was wrong.  Midway through the first movie, they even started fooling around like usual, with Wrench’s hand trailing down Marcus’ stomach and sliding into the front of his pants.  It turned into heavy making out as Marcus dipped into Wrench’s underwear as well, and before they could think about it, Wrench’s pants were off.

 

Wrench was ready for everything to be okay, for Marcus to plow him so hard into the hood of the car that they left an imprint.  But Marcus stopped.  It seemed like something snapped, and Marcus was treating him like he was made of glass.  Those hands cupped him carefully instead of digging in like he couldn’t get enough.  He flipped them over so that Wrench was on top, and his scarred back wouldn’t be anywhere near the car in any way that might hurt him.

 

Wrench had wanted to be angry, but he hadn’t been with Marcus like this since before his secret was out.  All he could let himself be was happy that it was happening at all.  He slid down onto Marcus until he was full of him and didn’t stop moving until Marcus had cum, and he couldn’t feel his legs anymore.

 

Marcus had seemed to notice how hard Wrench had been on himself despite Marcus’ attempts to keep him safe.  They had laid in silence on the hood of the car for the remainder of the first film, Wrench’s twitching legs curled around Marcus’ hips until feeling returned to his toes.  Wrench kept his face hidden in Marcus’ neck.

 

Something was still wrong.

 

~

 

As the next Withershins event came around, Wrench had called Benny and told him that he wouldn’t be there for the show.  It was a final decision in Wrench’s head, which scared him, but a month without Marcus’ constant presence, with Marcus treating him like some fragile thing, was killing him.  He had to give something up, and it sure as hell wasn’t going to be Marcus.

 

Two days after Withershins, Wrench was tucked in his garage with a sense of ease.  He would be telling Marcus today about his decision to not return to the hooks; He was just waiting to hear from him.

 

He tinkered away on the engine of a beater he’d found abandoned at a bar the previous day.  He was planning on making the engine run better than any engine in any other Mazda could, and he’d put it back when he was done with it by tomorrow.  Happy Monday to whoever the hell owned this car.

 

He heard the garage door begin to open, and he pulled himself out of the engine, peering at the light that streamed in.  Sitara was standing outside, and she was holding a bucket.  As the door rose higher, he saw that the bucket was full of golf balls, and she was also shouldering a set of clubs.

 

On her head was a bright purple, knit beret with a pom pom on top, and Wrench snorted as soon as he could see it.  “Wha-haha-what the fuck is that _thing_ on your head?”

 

Sitara was grinning at him.  “How’s your drive, bitch?”

 

Wrench cackled at her.  “I’m sorry, I can’t hear you over how loud your damn hat is.”

 

Sitara laughed along with him.  “Well shut the fuck up and get over here.  I bought you one too.”

 

Wrench gave a mocking, excited gasp.  “You did not.”

 

Sitara set her bucket down and tugged a green version of the same hat from where it was half stuffed in her pocket.  “I did.”

 

Wrench wandered over and plucked it from her hands, pulling his hood down and putting it on his head.  “You shouldn’t have.”  He struck a pose, hands laced beneath his chin.  “Does this hat make my head look big?”

 

Sitara smacked him in the shoulder.  “No, your big head makes your head look big.”  She passed him a golf club and beamed.

 

Wrench took it from her with a nervous laugh.  “I take it this means we’re going somewhere?”

 

“Yep.  We’re golfing for executives.”

 

Wrench’s mask reflected Sitara’s glee back at her.  “Ooh, my favourite.”

 

Wrench knew what Sitara was doing.  They hadn’t gotten the chance to talk to each other about the situation since it happened.  The odds were high that Sitara was here to both make sure he was okay, and also convince him to come back.  He knew where this was going.  But for now, he would let it happen. He needed the distraction.

 

~


	3. Tied Together

“Fore!”  Sitara took a swing, and her ball soared out of the crane they’d ‘borrowed’ and shattered a large plate glass window.

 

Wrench laughed and immediately grabbed her shoulder, tugging her down and out of view as a confused and angry man hurried to the window to figure out what the hell had happened.  Wrench was stifling his laugh, and Sitara hacked the crane to lift them higher.  Wrench glanced at her.  “That only took you like five tries, I feel like you could go pro.”

 

Sitara punched him in the shoulder.  “Shut up, you jerk!”  She sat up as soon as they were out of view of the broken window.  “At least I hit it.”

 

“And the wall, and that one bird, and I think you hit a cop down there.”  Wrench sat up as well.

 

Sitara snickered.  “It’s your shot, dude.  Third window.”  She checked her phone.  “…Added fine print to an existing contract that screwed dozens of people out of insurance money.  Because of course he did.”

 

Wrench hopped to his feet and picked up his club, setting up his ball and taking aim.  “Sounds like my kinda hole in one.”  He shuffled his feet, taking a few test swings away from the ball before he reeled back and swinging the club as hard as he could.  The ball sailed off of their platform and struck the window true, shattering it in a spider web before it buckled inward, shards going everywhere.

 

Sitara was raising the platform and moving the crane away before anyone came to the window.  She smirked at him.  “Show off.”

 

“I happen to be on a very exclusive list at my course for people with the top ten best scores.” Wrench posed with the club across his shoulders.

 

Sitara quirked a brow at him.  “Your course, huh?”

 

“Yeah.  Urban Putt?  I’m the fucking king there.”

 

Sitara laughed at him again and rolled her eyes.  “Come on, let’s keep playing.”  Then, he went back to her phone and began to turn the crane around.  “Pretty sure there’s another guy over here somewhere.”

 

Wrench sat on the floor of the platform with his legs dangling over the edge and leaned his arms on the middle of the guardrail.  He watched the cars on the streets below and the people wandering from building to building.  “So when are you gonna ask me why I didn’t come to Withershins this week?”  He asked, deciding to be the one to make it awkward so Sitara wouldn’t have to.

 

Sitara paused the crane and glanced at him.  She smirked.  “Because you don’t have to ask questions you know the answer to.”

 

“You’re not gonna try to talk to me about it?”  Wrench asked again, question marks flashing at Sitara’s apathy.

 

Sitara shrugged.  “Do you wanna talk about it?”

 

Wrench sighed.  He should have known she’d do this.  Sitara was good at manipulating people, but every once in a while, she would do it for the better of the person.  He leaned his mask against the railing.  “…I just didn’t wanna lose him, Sitara.”

 

Sitara kept the crane where it was and sat next to him, letting her feet dangle as well.  “Oh please, do you honestly think he would have left you for that?”

 

“I don’t know!  It just wasn’t worth the risk, because I guess I get it.  I get why he was upset, and ya know, maybe he’s right.”  Wrench huffed.  “Maybe I was doing it because I wanted the pain, and that’s kinda… weird.  I guess.  Whatever, it’s done.”

 

Sitara tilted her head at him.  “He’s gonna feel bad if he finds out you stopped doing something you love because of him.”

 

Wrench turned to her.  “Um, excuse me, but I love _Marcus_.  And I have no plans to stop doing him.”

 

Sitara gave him a gross laugh.  “Yeah, I’ll bet.”  She nudged his leg with hers.  “So my shit list around this block has like ten more names.  Wanna get to it?”

 

Wrench turned back to staring at the streets below.  He pondered for a moment before rubbing his hands together and grabbing hold of the guardrail.  He kicked his legs out and ducked under it.

 

“Shit!” Sitara shrieked and jumped to her feet.

 

Wrench let go of one hand so he could spin and face the platform, grabbing hold again.  He held tight and let his legs dangle over the dozens of storeys below.

 

Sitara grabbed a tight hold of his wrists.  “Wrench, get the fuck up here!”

 

“I’m fine, I’m fine.  Gimme a sec, okay?”  Wrench looked up at her.  “You can keep holding onto me if you want, I just… I need this.  Just for a minute.”

 

Sitara groaned.  “Better be a fast minute.”  She braced her foot around the control console and held on tighter.

 

Wrench nodded and ducked his head.  It wasn’t the same as suspension, but it was something he’d done before he found his home with Dedsec to get his adrenaline going.  Dedsec’s crazy missions did away with that need, but with Blume gone and not much else going on, he hadn’t had that rush for a while.

 

As he hung there, hundreds of feet in the air, he realised that he hadn’t needed it.  He got the same rush when he walked into the apartment he shared with Marcus and found him sitting on their sofa with the splash screen of a Siska movie waiting for him to settle in.

 

Wrench smiled.

 

Sitara reacted to the happy carets on the mask.  “Great, it is fan-fucking-tastic that you’re so pleased with yourself now get your ass _up here._ ”

 

Wrench snickered at her.  “Yes, mom.”  He swung his leg up onto the platform and rolled himself back onto safety.

 

Sitara helped him stand back up and punched him in the arm again.  “Now _that_ , I will be happy if you never, ever do again.”  For prosperity, she gave him a few more whacks in the chest.

 

Wrench weakly shielded himself.  “Okay, okay!  Jeez.  Heard, boss lady.”  He glanced down at his feet.  “Thanks for bringing me out today.  I think I needed it.  I feel a lot better.”

 

Sitara smiled and dipped down to lift her club again.  “Good,” She said, rubbing his arm with her hand.  “‘Cause it’s my shot.”

 

~

 

When Wrench returned to the garage, he opened the door and ducked inside.  As the door slid shut behind him, he realised that this was not how he’d left the place.  The car he’d been working on had been moved from the centre of the room to the side, and the hood was shut.  He paced to the table and grabbed his sledgehammer, poised to strike.

 

At least he was, until he heard a chair scraping, and Marcus stood into view.  He set the titanium mass down immediately.  “Jesus Christ, Marcus.”

 

Marcus rubbed at his eye.  “Sorry.  Took a nap.”

 

“In a chair in my garage?”  Wrench snickered.  “You didn’t have to wait up ya know.  You coulda called, I was just out with Sitara.”

 

Marcus gave him a warm smile, and Wrench’s chest bubbled over with whatever feelings that look gave him.  He couldn’t name them, but they were all good.  Marcus stepped away from his chair and reached out, taking Wrench’s arms in his hands.  “I know where you were.”

 

There was another noise as the side door opened, and a familiar face strolled in with something under his arm.  Wrench stared.  “…Benny?  The hell are you doing here?”

 

Benny held his arms out as if to present himself.  “Today, I am a relationship counsellor.”  He grinned and walked past them.

 

In his grip was a part of a suspension rig.  Wrench’s eyes widened, and he jerked to look back at Marcus.  “…What is this?”

 

Marcus shrugged.  “Me back-peddling.”  He sighed.  “I’m sorry.  I’m sorry I overreacted, I’m sorry I’ve been so… out of it this past month.  You didn’t deserve any of that shit, especially from me.  I get it.”

 

Wrench shook his head.  “No, Marcus you-…  _Fuck_ …  It’s okay, all right?  I was overreacting too, it’s just this dumb adrenaline thing I did, and I don’t need it.  I don’t need something like that when I have you.”  He ducked his head.  “And I know how fucking cheesy that sounds, so you don’t have to say it.”

 

Marcus rolled his eyes and pulled Wrench into a hug.  “Now look who’s not listening.”  He leaned his face against the side of Wrench’s head just behind the mask.  “I don’t want you to stop doing something because you think I’m not a fan.”

 

Wrench huffed and ducked his head against Marcus’ shoulder sideways.  “Come on dude, don’t just ‘be okay’ with me doing this because you feel bad.”  He lifted his arms to Marcus’ back.

 

Marcus winced.

 

Wrench froze.  He slowly pulled back and stared up at Marcus.

 

Marcus stretched his neck out for a second and glanced back at him.  “I told you,” He said, bringing his hands to Wrench’s shoulders and rubbing his collar bones.  “ _I get it._ ”

 

Wrench’s hands snapped to grip Marcus’ collar before either of them could blink.  “Okay, I really wanna make out with you right now, but there’s a strange man in the room.”

 

Marcus laughed and moved his hands to Wrench’s face.  “We’ll have time for that later.”  He gestured back toward Benny, who was in the middle of the room setting up the rig to a pully system he had put in place on one of the rafters.  “We gotta get you strung up first.”

 

Wrench’s grip on Marcus tightened.  “Oh shit, we’re doing this now?”

 

Benny smirked at him.  “Yeah, your man there was at the Mobile on Friday hopin’ to see you, and you bailed.”

 

Wrench turned to Marcus again, hearts crossing his visor.  “You came to see me perform?”

 

Marcus caught his belt loops with his thumbs and tugged him closer.  “You kinda owe me one now.  You think you’re up for a private showing?”

 

Wrench snickered at him.  “I mean yeah, but don’t you think we should wait for Benny to leave before we go showing any privates?”

 

Marcus cracked up.

 

Benny finished connecting the rack for the rig and spun it once.  “A’ight man.  You up for it?”

 

“Abso-fucking-lutely, Marcus get the hell offa me, I gotta get outta these pants.”  Wrench playfully shoved Marcus away and hurried to the ‘office’ room.

 

When he came back down, he was in his loose shorts again.  He had no hood this time, only his mask, and he was wearing a pair of fuzzy slippers instead of his shoes.  Marcus snorted.  “What the fuck are those?”

 

Wrench glared at him.  “Hey, don’t knock my slippers!  These things have memory foam, and I need to be comfy.”  He lifted one foot when he got close enough to Marcus and stuck it out toward his face.  “Plus they’re soft as fuck.  Touch it.  You know you wanna.”

 

Marcus grabbed his ankle and tugged him towards him.  Wrench hopped on his free foot until Marcus had it in his arms again.  “Put your damn foot down, freak.”

 

Wrench grinned under his mask.  Somewhere in that word was more love than anyone would know.  “You know you like it.”

 

“Damn right I do.”

 

Benny cleared his throat.  The boys turned to face the tattooed man, and he was busy putting on a pair of black latex gloves.  “Not that this isn’t sweet and all, but—” He gestured to the new rig.  “You’re not gonna hook yourself.”

 

Wrench gave a giddy bounce and turned to Marcus.  “Oh can I, please, please, please?”

 

Marcus spun him around and smacked his ass.  “Don’t ask me, just get over there!”

 

Wrench hurried over to stand by Benny and face away from him.  Benny’s hands grabbed at Wrench’s shoulders and rubbed his back down with disinfectant.  Then he began kneading the area he would be piercing.  Wrench turned his head to the distance between him and Marcus and lifted a hand towards him.  “Uh, Marcus?  Do you think you could… I dunno, hold my damn hand or something?”

 

Marcus gave him a concerned look and walked over immediately.  He grabbed the hand extended to him.  “‘Course.  You good?”

 

“Yeah, yeah I’m fine, I just…”  He fidgeted with Marcus’ fingers.  “I guess since we’ve been a thing, I’ve always wanted you here for this part.”

 

Marcus smiled at him and sighed.  “God, I wish you’d told me about all this before…”

 

Wrench’s mask betrayed his amusement.  “Uh, I’m sorry, were you even there a month ago?  Did you see how you reacted the first time?”

 

Marcus ducked his head and nodded.  “Yeah, I know…  I’m sorry.”

 

“It’s okay.”  He squeezed his hands again and looked at the floor.  He was shaking.

 

Benny paused.  “Hey, are you good?  If you’re not feeling good for this, we can stop and go again later.”

 

Wrench lifted his head.  “No, no!  I’m good, I’m-… I’m more than good, I just…”  He took a breath and looked up at Marcus.  “I think I’m wearing too much.”

 

Marcus looked confused at first, but then realisation hit him.  He reached up and touched Wrench’s mask.  “Hey Benny, you mind trying not to look?”

 

Benny seemed to understand.  “Sure, yeah.  I know his deal.”

 

Satisfied, Marcus slipped his fingers under the mask and pulled it off of Wrench’s head.

 

Wrench let out a breath once he was free and looked up into Marcus’ eyes.  Marcus beamed back at him, and once the mask was set aside, their hands found each other’s again.

 

Benny kneaded a bit more into his shoulders before going off to change his gloves and return with the hooks.  “You ready?”

 

Wrench nodded.  “Definitely.”

 

The moment the first hook pierced his back, Wrench’s eyes snapped shut.  He pressed his lips together so hard he was sure they would seal, and his hands tried to break the ones in his grasp.

 

Thankfully, Marcus was sturdy.  He squeezed back.  “I’m right here, Wrench, I got you.”

 

Once the first hook was set, Wrench breathed and nodded again.  “I know you do.”

 

Benny didn’t hesitate with the second, not wanting to draw the painful part out too long.  Wrench made a stifled noise of pain, but he kept it low and ducked his head once the second hook was set.  Marcus took a short step closer and let Wrench’s head rest in his neck.  “How you feelin’?”  He asked.

 

Wrench grinned against his skin.  “On fire.  Amazing.  Take your pick.”  He let out a shuddery breath and snuggled into Marcus a bit more.  “I just need a sec.”

 

Marcus pulled him closer, and Benny waited patiently for Wrench’s body to loosen up again before attaching the hooks to the low rig.  It took a few minutes, but Benny was practiced and every move counted.  Wrench was ready to go, and he pulled the ropes until they started to tug at Wrench’s skin.  He locked them in place and smiled at Marcus.  “And the rest is on you, man.”

 

Wrench lifted his head from his hiding place and looked at Marcus with confusion.  Marcus nodded to Benny.  “Yeah, I got him.”

 

Benny nodded and gestured to the items on the table that he’d set up.  “Gloves, disinfectant, ointment, bandages.  You know the drill.”  He took off his gloves and binned them.  “If you’re concerned about anything when you’re done, fucking call me.  I may get here in my damn underwear, but I’ll be here.”

 

“Thanks for doin’ this, man,” Marcus said.

 

Benny waved at them and exited through the door.  It locked behind him.

 

Wrench stared after him.  “Well don’t you guys seem like old pals.”  He said, suspicion thick.

 

Marcus winced at him.  “I… may or may not have been hanging around his shop for two weeks.”

 

Wrench’s eyes widened, and he couldn’t stop his smile.  “Two weeks!?”

 

Marcus shrugged.  “Hey, you told me you weren’t gonna stop, so I figured I needed to quit being such a bitch about it and do some damn research.”  He glanced at the floor.  “That, and I wanted to watch other people do it before I tried it myself.”

 

Wrench’s hands began to wander up Marcus’ arms, and he leaned towards him, increasing tension on his hooks.  “How long ago?”

 

“Day before Withershins?”  Marcus cupped his face, as it seemed like Wrench was getting more touchy and wistful the more the hooks pulled.  “I wanted to know what you’d be feeling when you were up there.”

 

Wrench smiled at him.  “Everybody does it for a different reason.  Everybody goes into it feeling something different, so they get their own feelings out of it.  It’s not one set thing; you just feel… _more_.  You kinda gotta just accept whatever it gives you.”

 

Marcus gave an amused little laugh.  “I guess that explains my reaction then.”

 

Wrench nodded and leaned more.  The hooks began to stretch his skin, and he bent at his knees, letting the hooks hold more and more of his weight until just his toes were settling on the floor.  He let go of a short, relieved breath.

 

Marcus ran his thumb over Wrench’s cheek.  “Ready to go higher?”

 

Wrench turned his eyes to Marcus.  “ _Yes,_ ” He breathed.

 

Marcus moved away from him to the ropes behind him and began to pull them slow.  Wrench slowly ascended from the ground.  He let his slippers fall off of his feet as his legs swung freely.  Marcus tied the ropes securely and came back around to Wrench’s front, reaching up to take his hands again.  He was waist high on Wrench now.  He found his own smile splitting his face.  “How’s it feel?”

 

Wrench’s was a face of elation, his chest taking deep, meaningful breaths.  “Like I’m flying.”

 

Marcus slowly walked around with Wrench’s hands still in his grasp, spinning him on the rig.  He let go of Wrench and let him twirl in the air for a while.  “So you’re gonna invite me to your show next month, right?”

 

Wrench laughed as his spun.  “Obviously.  You’ll be up there with me, right?”

 

“ _Ha!_   Yeah right, hell no.  I bawled like a damn baby up there, no way am I doing that in front of people.”  Marcus caught his ankle to stop him spinning.

 

Wrench laughed and hooked a leg over Marcus’ shoulder.  “Shit, you cried?  Were you okay?”

 

Marcus gave a soft chuckle and ducked his head.  “It was intense, man.  But I guess it just hit me when I was up there why you did it, and why you needed it.  I felt like shit for wanting you to stop, and then I felt really proud of you for standing up to me and doing it anyway.”  He laughed harder and looked back up at his boyfriend.  “And then _somebody_ decided not to show up!”  He pinched the back of Wrench’s thigh, drawing out a shriek.

 

“Well ex _cuuuse_ me for deciding that you were more important than playing butcher’s meat for ten minutes a month,” Wrench said, flicking his ear.

 

Marcus rubbed his abused ear and leaned his head on Wrench’s knee.  “…Just so we’re clear, I don’t ever want you to have to feel like that.  If ever react like that again, remind my dumb ass about this, because you don’t gotta change a fucking thing about you to keep me.  I’m not going anywhere.”

 

Wrench smiled down at him and hooked his other leg over his other shoulder, trying to hug him with his legs.  He was careful about the healing marks on Marcus’ back.  “Promises, promises…”  Despite his doubtful words, his tone was light and teasing.  His eyes were alive.

 

Wrench left his legs around Marcus.  Marcus would turn, and they would spin in some sort of demented dance.  Wrench would laugh and lull his head back as far as he could with his shoulders hunched because of the hooks.

 

Marcus hummed peacefully and let his hands slide up along Wrench’s legs.  They stopped at his waistband and hooked over the hem.

 

Wrench’s head snapped forward with an involuntary gasp.  The surprise on his face twisted into mischief.  “You better watch those hands.”

 

Marcus grinned back.  “And what am I gonna watch these hands do?”

 

Wrench’s glee turned hungry.  “Fucking _anything_.”

 

Those fingers dipped further and gripped the waistband of his shorts and boxers.  He dragged them down, just enough to expose his member.  He’d preferred to just take them off, but that would involve removing Wrench’s legs from his shoulders, and that wasn’t about to happen.

 

Wrench was already half hard.  Marcus had learned early that it didn’t seem to take much with Wrench; He was almost always ready to go once he was sure something sexy would be happening, and now was no different, though this reaction was faster.

 

Wrench made a needy little noise that went straight to Marcus’ groin.  “Holy shit, M…”  His hands came around Marcus’ head, and his blunt nails left warm trails along his scalp.  “Are-” He inhaled, “Are you seriously doing this?”

 

Marcus pressing his thumbs in in where Wrench’s thighs met his hips.  “Are you seriously complaining?”

 

“Absolutely not!”  The grip on Marcus’ skull grew tighter and warning.

 

Marcus laughed.  “Then shut up a minute.”  His arms looped over Wrench’s legs, and his hands came together in prayer.  “Dear Lord, thank you for this meal-”

 

Wrench’s hips flinched forward in annoyance, but his eyes swam with amusement.  “Marcus I swear to _god_.”

 

Marcus smirked and wasted no more time taking Wrench into his mouth.

 

Wrench’s mouth fell open, but he stifled the noise his throat tried to make.  Marcus’ mouth was hot, and his tongue was attentive.  After months of getting know Wrench’s body and what made him tick, Marcus was an expert now, and he didn’t seem to be wasting any of his ‘training’.  His fingers held his hips in place and dug in just the right amount, massaging small circles where Wrench’s nerves made him shiver.  Wrench’s legs twitched with every motion and every bob of Marcus’ head, crossing behind Marcus’ back and forgetting about the wounds altogether.  He was torn between leaving his hands on Marcus’ head to keep him where he was and pulling them to his mouth to muffle his voice.

 

At the moment, Wrench didn’t care if he was loud.  This was his damn garage, and his damn boyfriend.  Nobody else was there to care, and with the way Marcus’ tongue was curling and dragging along the length of his cock, it seemed like he wanted him to be louder.  Wrench was more than happy to oblige.  “J-Jesus _Christ_ , you kiss your mother with that mouth?”  He moaned the teasing question.  His breath was already coming out short.

 

Marcus’ response was only an amused chuckle that thrummed around Wrench’s member.  Marcus leaned in to take him in a little further and sent Wrench’s eyes rolling up to the ceiling.

 

“F-Fuck, fuck, Marcus, _fuck…!_ ”  Wrench’s legs were trembling around Marcus.  He tried to keep them still by bracing his feet on Marcus’ back as his toes curled and pinched the fabric of Marcus’ shirt with them.  He knees still quaked, and his back was numb and white hot.  He was floating there in a blissful state as deep thought failed him.  His head dipped forward, and he breathed a whimper.  “ _Fuck,_ I love you…”

 

Marcus grinned around Wrench and knew from his twitching how close he was.  They usually did things like this is the dark, so he couldn’t really go by his face, but instead he would feel it in Wrench’s body.  It was tightly wound and ready to snap at any moment.  Now, in the light of the garage, he got to peer upwards and see that ecstasy painted across Wrench’s expression.  The soft whispers and declarations of love tumbled from Wrench’s lips like it always did after those mysterious Fridays, and Marcus closed his eyes.

 

Marcus raked his fingers up Wrench’s lower back and dragged them back down along his backside.  The knot that was Wrench’s body came undone, and he let out sudden and panicked cry, bucking forward into Marcus’ mouth.  His hands mindlessly held Marcus in place, and with one more desperate expletive, Wrench came.

 

By the time Wrench’s body went lax, Marcus had swallowed what he could and let Wrench slip out of his mouth again.  He pulled Wrench’s shorts back up where they belonged and went back to massaging little designs into his hips.  “I dunno about you, but I think that one’s a record.  That was like, three minutes?”

 

Wrench was lazily running his hands over Marcus’ head as his legs dangled limply behind his shoulders.  “You absolute _dog_ , you.”

 

Marcus laughed.  “I know what the fuck you like.”

 

Wrench smiled softly.  “Yeah you do…”  He ran his thumb across Marcus cheek.  Then he realised where his legs were.  “Shit!”  He swung them wide and let them dangle below him again.  “Your back, man!”

 

Marcus shrugged.  “They’re fine.”  He grinned at him.  “Feels like I’ve been doing too many pull-ups,” He parroted with a knowing look in his eyes.

 

Wrench felt his breath come back to him with that look, and he gave a deep, pleased sigh.  “…Thanks for this, Marcus.”

 

Marcus leaned his head and kissed one of the hands caressing his face.  “Anytime.  I mean it.”

 

They stayed that way a bit longer, with Wrench’s legs weakly and idly swaying beneath him.  Then he cleared his throat.  “You- You can probably get me down now, I’m actually starting to get light headed.”

 

Marcus winced and ran to where his ropes were tied.  “Oh fuck, hold on.”

 

~

 

After the hooks were removed and the air was pushed out of Wrench’s wounds, they’d reconvened in the makeshift bedroom.  Wrench was laid on the mattress on his stomach, and Marcus busied himself cleaning any remaining blood from his back and patching up the wounds.  He ran his hands along his back around the bandages, letting his thumbs press into his skin in a small massage.

 

Wrench’s eyes were shut.  “So You had Sitara distract me to set all that up, huh?”

 

“Yep.  Told her I needed a few hours to get the rig up, and she was game.  After she yelled at me.  Again.  You know her.”  Marcus continued pressing his fingers into his back.  “But yeah, she promised to keep I quiet for me.”

 

“That traitorous fiend,” Wrench mumbled.

 

Marcus laughed louder an moved his fingers along Wrench’s shoulders.  “We do it out of love.”

 

Wrench spent a few moments silent under Marcus’ talented fingers and gave him a sleepy groan.  “If you keep that up, I’m gonna pass out.”

 

Marcus smirked and ran his hands down Wrench’s back one more time.  “Yeah you right.  You should be sleeping in your own bed.”

 

Wrench’s eyes cracked open and glanced at Marcus.

 

Marcus had a second to look uneasy.  “If- If you wanna move back in I mean.”

 

Wrench sat up and faced Marcus, who was sitting on the floor.  “I can come back?”  He looked genuinely surprised.

 

Marcus looked confused and then amused.  “You were the one who left, man.  You said you needed time, and I was just trying to let you have it, but you coulda come back anytime.”  He shrugged, looking embarrassed.  “Bed’s cold without you.”

 

Wrench had to fight against throwing himself at Marcus.  He drew his knees up and hugged them instead.  He let his gaze drop.  “…I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about this…  I’m sorry I waited so long that you had to find out on your own.”

 

Marcus put his hands on Wrench’s knees.  “No.  You got no reason to apologise, I’m the one who fucked up.”  He shuffled to his knees and parked himself next to Wrench, sliding an arm around his waist.  “I overstepped a huge boundary, tracking you down like that.  It was selfish and stupid.  You’re allowed to have your secrets, and I should have left it at that.”

 

Wrench kept looking at the floor.  He sighed.  “I was seriously working my way up to telling you,” He promised.  “Sitara had the idea to bring the others in slowly.  She’d been asked about that art display a few months back, and she figured bringing Ray on board with it was a good start.  See how he reacted.  We were gonna explain the process to Josh, and get his take on the practice before telling him that I did it.  Then we’d try it with you.”  He tilted his head to the side and leaned on his knees, looking at Marcus.  “I just didn’t want you to think I was some monster, ya know?  Like, I’d finally gotten you to a point where you didn’t look at me weird for shit, and I knew this would fucking change all that again.”

 

“And I should know better.”  Marcus leaned over and pressed his nose against Wrench’s ear, resting his forehead against him.  “You are an eccentric, wild guy, and if I can’t get over that and the things you do, than I don’t deserve you.  Everything about you that makes you who you are is why I’m fucking here, so if I make you feel like you need to give any of that up, you punch me in my goddamn face, okay?  I’m not here for most of you.  I’m here for _all_ of you.”

 

Wrench let his eyes drift shut as he took in everything that Marcus was saying.  All the doubts he’d had in the past month shattered and freed him from his fear.  Marcus wasn’t going anywhere.  He turned and caught his lips in a kiss, one of their soft, lazy, unexpectant ones.  He pulled his lips away, but left their heads together.  “You sir, are an excellent salesman.”  He smiled.  “…You don’t know all my secrets.  I still have things I don’t wanna talk about yet, but I will.”  He opened his eyes again.  “I promise.”

 

Marcus beamed at him and brought a hand to the back of his neck.  “Yeah, like that real name I still don’t know.”

 

Wrench snickered at him and jabbed him in the side.  “Ah, some things I don’t tell you because then I’d have to kill you.”

 

“Aw, baby, you wouldn’t do me like that.”  Marcus flinched away from the jab and caught Wrench’s arms, toppling backward on the bed and tugging Wrench on top of him.

 

Wrench yelped as he fell and laughed once they’d settled.  “I suppose I could attempt to appeal to the ‘powers that be’ but then we’ll probably have to go on the run and change our names.”

 

“Oh like that’s far off from what we’re already doin’.”  He laced his hands behind Wrench’s back and held him there.  His grin turned soft.  “You know I’m kidding, right?  I don’t expect you to tell me your name.”

 

Wrench pressed a smiling kiss to Marcus nose.  “…Maybe one day.”

 

Marcus hummed in agreement.

 

They laid like that for a while, with Wrench spent and Marcus taking in that calm.  He shifted uncomfortably after a few minutes and rubbed Wrench’s shoulders apologetically.  “So like, I like this, but uh.  My back’s kinda-”

 

“Fuck, M!”  Wrench hopped off immediately and pulled Marcus up.  “Why didn’t you say something?”

 

“I haven’t gotten you down like that in a hot minute, man, I wanted to enjoy it!”  Marcus whined.

 

Wrench smirked at him.  “Pillows are gonna be your best friend for a good week.”

 

Marcus took his hands and ran his thumbs over Wrench’s knuckles.  “Well it’s a damn good thing we’ve got a shit ton of a pillows at home.”  He gave him a cautious smile.  “Think you’re up for packing?”

 

Wrench smiled again.  “Hell yeah I am.  I’m uh, half packed already.”  He gestured to the duffle bag in the corner where he’d kept putting his clothes once they were clean just in case he’d gotten brave enough to ask about coming back.  He took a deep, cathartic breath and sighed.  “I’m ready to come home.”

 

Marcus mirrored his happiness and pressed a kiss to Wrench’s birthmark.  “Home’s ready for you to come back,” He said.  “And so am I.”  He took a few seconds to lace his fingers with Wrench’s and give him a deep look that made something twist in Wrench’s chest.  “I love you.”

 

The corners of Wrench’s mouth tipped upward involuntarily.  “I love you too, M.”

 

~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AND we're back to our regularly scheduled program. Sorry for the MANY delays here, but life is insane, and I always seem to underestimate how long my stories are going to end up being. But, this story is complete, and I will be continuing 'In the Machine' very soon! I have already started the next chapter, but I wanted to finish this one before I got back into it.
> 
> So sorry again for the wait! Thanks for all your comments and kudos!


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